Nov. 25, 2025

Ugly Grills, Great Cars

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Some faces you can’t forget. We kick off with a sharp, entertaining tour of automotive front ends that sparked love, hate, and head-scratching in equal measure—from the Jeep Cherokee KL’s split lighting and the Lincoln MKT’s controversial split wing to the Dodge Nitro’s gym-bro stance and the Chevy SSR’s retro grin. The thread through all of them is clear: when the nose leads the story, it can amplify a car’s character or drown out everything it does well.

Then we pivot to a grounded, detail-rich review of the 2025 Jeep Wagoneer in its two-row electric 4xe configuration. We break down the sleek seven-slot grill, the long-wheelbase proportions, and a cabin that feels more expensive than the price tag suggests. Think full-length dash, integrated displays, ambient lighting, and upscale seating that deliver daily comfort without forcing a third row. On the road, direct-drive electric power brings up to 600 horsepower potential, stout torque, and an up-to-300-mile range target, with the quiet, planted ride you’d expect from a 5,600-plus-pound SUV. Towing up to 3,500 pounds adds weekend flexibility, and for gas loyalists, the Hurricane inline-six in the L variant keeps the door open.

We compare pricing and positioning against the Cadillac Lyriq, Lexus RZ 450e, and Genesis GV70 Electric, and we talk honestly about the complexity of trims and badges across Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. The takeaway: design should match purpose, and the Wagoneer’s balance of refined styling, practical space, and real-world range makes a strong case in a crowded field.

If you’re into car design hot takes and want straight talk on whether the new Wagoneer belongs in your driveway, you’ll feel right at home here. Enjoy the ride, and if this sparks a memory of your favorite ugly grill or seals your next test-drive plan, share it with a friend. Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help more car lovers find the show.

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00:06 - Kicking Off Car Culture

00:08 - The Ugliest Car Faces

00:43 - Chrysler 300: Bold Or Brutal

01:18 - Jeep Cherokee KL’s Split Lighting

02:00 - AMC Matador’s Sunglasses Grill

02:40 - Lincoln MKT’s Split Wing Debate

03:32 - Dodge Nitro’s Tough-Guy Mask

04:21 - Chevy SSR: Retro Cartoon Vibes

05:13 - SSR Engineering Oddities

06:37 - Transition To Wagoneer Review

06:39 - 2025 Jeep Wagoneer Overview

07:33 - Design, Cabin, And Features

08:31 - Powertrains, Range, And Specs

09:48 - Pricing And Competitors

12:20 - Platform, Size, And Final Thoughts

12:56 - Listener Contact And Sign-Off

WEBVTT

00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:07.839
Time now for Jeff's car culture.

00:00:08.080 --> 00:00:10.320
Cars with the ugliest mugs of all time.

00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:14.320
Yeah, friends that went too far, ugly mugs stuck in our memories.

00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:17.760
So, what's the first thing you see when a car rolls into a car meet?

00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:20.000
No, not the ugly tacky rap.

00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:20.960
It's the grill.

00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:28.480
The grill alone can't entirely ruin a car, sometimes it can, but it can certainly shape how people remember it, often for all the wrong reasons.

00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:33.679
Many had solid features, thoughtful engineering, and even loyal followings somewhere.

00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:43.359
But when the front end starts the conversation on a strange, awkward, or just plain ugly note, it's like trying to find a perfectly sized wrench in a messy toolbox.

00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:47.920
First one we got is a Chrysler 300 from 2005 to 2010.

00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:52.960
Chrysler 300 made an entrance that shook the sedan segment harder than an ugly earthquake.

00:00:53.119 --> 00:01:02.079
When its wide stance squared off portions, proportions, and strong shoulder lines, it looked like a concept car that actually accidentally went into production.

00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:04.719
Or a muscle car dressed for a formal occasion.

00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:10.959
It stood out from other sedans like a sumo wrestler in a ballet class, and that was exactly the point.

00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:16.959
It quickly became a darling of rappers, customizers, and anyone who wanted to look deep on the budget.

00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:18.719
There you go.

00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:22.239
And then the next one we have is a Jeep Cherokee from 14 to 18.

00:01:22.640 --> 00:01:30.000
This Jeep Cherokee, the KL generation, brought some genuinely useful uh updates to the Jeep lineup.

00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:37.680
It offered a smooth ride on pavement, shocking revelation for Jeep, solid fuel economy, and better tech than many rivals.

00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:41.280
Inside, it felt like a real step up toward daily drivers.

00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:43.920
The front end, however, told a different story.

00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:59.200
While Jeep's traditional seven-slot uh design grille was technically perplexing, the ultra-narrow upper lights, which were actually the daytime running lights, and the main headlights were tucked awkwardly down in the bumper, left for many buyers scratching their heads.

00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:00.319
Imagine that.

00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:09.120
The next one is an AMC Matador Coupe from 74, and Kathy and I knew she had a real good friend that owned one of these, and it was a cool little car.

00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:11.039
Oh, for who?

00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:12.319
At the time it was.

00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:16.879
AMC had a habit of doing things its own way, often with mixed results.

00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:19.520
The 74 Matador coupe was no exception.

00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:24.639
The grill pushed the limits, shaped like a giant pair of aviator sunglasses on a very surprised face.

00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:29.280
It gave the car an expression that bordered on comic, like a confused alien.

00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:36.319
While it certainly helped the Matador stand out in a crowd, bland the mid-70s cars, it didn't win any beauty contests.

00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:38.560
The car version of a bad toupee.

00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.840
The next one is a Lincoln MKT.

00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:47.919
Lincoln wanted the MKT to feel luxurious and forward-thinking.

00:02:50.960 --> 00:03:02.560
Offered strong engine, including the twin turbo Eco Boost V6, which is a cool motor, quiet, comfortable ride, and available three-row seating, making it a generally practical full-size crossover.

00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:13.840
The grill, however, went all in on Lincoln's controversial split wing design, sometimes effectively uh affectionately or mockingly referred to as the butterfly or the mustache grill.

00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:21.280
With wide chrome bars sweeping across the front, it gave the vehicle a wide-eyed, almost bug-like look that felt more awkward than refined.

00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:27.840
It simply didn't feel aligned with the elegant upscale interior behind it, creating a jarry disc jarring disconnect.

00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:32.240
It was like putting a cartoon face on a serious business executive.

00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:34.400
Dodge Nitro, still around.

00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:39.439
The Dodge Nitro certainly packed a serious personality into a compact SUV.

00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:43.360
Personality that looked like it spent too much time in the gym.

00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:51.039
It squared off shape, progressively flared fenders, and a bold styling made it look like a miniature bruiser or a bulldog on wheels.

00:03:51.199 --> 00:04:00.400
The grill leaned heavily on that theme, which thick vertical bars, often in chrome, and a massive dodram badge that took up the prime real estate.

00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:03.360
It bordered on the theatrical.

00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:04.319
Theoretically.

00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:05.919
Theoretically is theatrical.

00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:08.960
Screaming tough guy, louder than a muscle car convention.

00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:14.319
The grill made a strong impression that left little room for nuance, like a brick wall with a giant grin.

00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:17.519
It was all attitude all the time and very tacky.

00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:21.360
Last one, everybody's favorite, the Chevrolet SSR.

00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:34.560
One of Chevy's most playful, bizarre, and utterly committed designs for the 2000s, it combined a convertible, fun, power retractable hardtop with a retro pickup body, creating something no one else offered at the time.

00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:42.079
For drivers looking to stand out and relive their 50s hot rod fantasies with a modern V8, it absolutely delivered.

00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:43.920
It was like a cartoon come to life.

00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:55.839
The grill kept the retro theme going, but the wide, almost goofy smile and oversized curves gave it a slightly cartoon-like quality, like something out of the cars movie, even resembled Lightning McQueen a little bit.

00:04:56.000 --> 00:05:01.199
The grill certainly fit with the customer's overwall whimsical theme.

00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:08.240
Uh it even made its uh the styling feel more eccentric than generally cool, bordering on character.

00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:11.600
So it was a bad, so much unapologetically silly.

00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:13.439
Leave that up there for a minute.

00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:16.959
So the story with the fenders, General Motors.

00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:19.600
I already hit it.

00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:43.519
The fenders, GM had to go back to the 1950s to take the technology in the actual molds of the fenders from that generation to create this because the curves were so sharp to make them round that they didn't have that technology anymore, so they had to go back and look at how they did it.

00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:44.160
Yeah.

00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:46.240
And it was truly amazing.

00:05:46.399 --> 00:06:02.959
The other interesting thing about that, and I remember when it came out because I was in the press crew then at the time and driving it, it had no upper structure, so the whole thing flexed all the time, kind of like the PT not the PT, but the PT cruiser, the hot rod looking thing.

00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:04.720
I had a business company car.

00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:07.600
And there was no structure in the upper part of it.

00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:13.439
Plus, that one had a V8 in it, it had no horsepower, just like the V6 and the PT cruiser.

00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:14.480
But they were fun to look at.

00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:15.519
I'm sure they're fun to drive.

00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:19.680
I've never driven one, never been in one, but they were quite unique with that uh ugly mug.

00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:21.680
Yep, lot got lots of looks.

00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:25.040
I think uh uh Harold Gunn has one of those things.

00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:25.680
Okay, Mr.

00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:26.560
Morris.

00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:31.279
Um, yeah, it was yeah, a different day, shall we say?

00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:32.480
Thank you, Michael.

00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:39.680
All right, time now for this hour's car review.

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I had a chance to drive the 2025 Jeep Wagoneer, final assembly location, which I thought was uh interesting.

00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:48.639
Toluca, Mexico.

00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:49.600
Do you know that?

00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:50.639
No, yeah.

00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:58.560
Um, available trim levels, the base, the limited, and the launch edition.

00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:03.279
Uh it was all new in 2024.

00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:10.639
I had the S Limited 4xE, which is an electric two-row SUV.

00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:13.920
The S is the gasoline version.

00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:19.279
Uh it's still a two-row in just the Wagoneer itself.

00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:23.920
Not talking about the Grand Wagoneer, that's a different vehicle with the same name.

00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:27.839
Standard SUV, Tahoe size, if you will.

00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:30.720
Uh seats including the driver, five.

00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:33.680
Uh all new in 2024, as I mentioned.

00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:43.600
Sleek, narrow, seven-slot grill, not any bigger than the slim headlights that are uh bookending that.

00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:57.120
Rear lighting mirrors the front, sloping rear cargo area and uh sunshade over an interesting, very slanted roof uh or slash spoiler area.

00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:03.279
It's a very interesting vehicle, and if you haven't really paid much attention to it, I think it would be worth your while to check it out.

00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:09.600
Long, long, long wheelbase with straight line glass, gives it a saloon look.

00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:10.079
Oh.

00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:11.839
Extra long.

00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:12.240
Yeah.

00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:15.360
It's got a huge cargo area too about that in a minute.

00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:17.439
Uh what could use improvement?

00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:18.079
Nothing.

00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:24.480
It looks a lot more expansive and expensive than it really is.

00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:30.160
Uh, full-length dash on the interior, high zoot all the way in my mind.

00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:34.480
Now, I have not driven the Grand Wagon here, which even supposed to be a step above that.

00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:37.600
Built-in screen into the dashboard.

00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:39.840
Oh my god, imagine such a thing.

00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:44.559
It's above the uh second climate screen below it.

00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:49.519
Uh changeable dash lighting wraps around through the door, really cool.

00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:54.960
Comfortable seating with high-end leather and flat bottom steering wheel.

00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:58.240
Some unique features with it that you're not going to find anywhere else.

00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:04.399
I'm not trying to sell it, I'm just telling you that it is a very unique vehicle when it comes to the SUVs.

00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:08.960
And uh I think that you'll be interested, especially with the price of this upscale.

00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:12.799
Uh, tons of room in the back in the cargo area.

00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:15.200
They didn't try to cram a third row in it.

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Yay for you.

00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:22.799
Uh what I liked about it, the ambiance of luxury that this thing exudes.

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What could use improvement?

00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:29.919
Well, get the Grand Wagone here for even more wow factor.

00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:30.720
All right.

00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:32.720
Engine electric.

00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:35.840
Two powerful levels are available.

00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:38.480
Horsepower up to 600.

00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:44.000
You know, Chrysler Stellantis, uh, that whole group, Dodge, they're all about horsepower.

00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:45.039
If you want it, they got it.

00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:48.159
Torque, more than allowed by law.

00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:50.879
Um, somebody law, I'm not sure whose.

00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:53.200
Transmission, there is none.

00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:54.960
It's direct drive from the electric motors.

00:09:55.120 --> 00:09:57.919
Tower rating 3,500 pounds, which is significant.

00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:01.679
Uh miles per gallon, E electric.

00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:08.960
City 100, highway 85, 36 kilowatt hours per 100 miles.

00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:11.679
You do the math, I don't do that.

00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:20.639
I got 0.3 miles per gallon or MPGE over 400 miles.

00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:26.720
What I liked about it, up to 300 miles per charge, and I did get a charge, I'll tell you about that.

00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:27.840
What could use improvement?

00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:36.320
Jeep also offers, as I mentioned, L the L version, which is a gasoline engine, the uh hurricane six cylinder.

00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:37.919
I'm dying to get a hold of.

00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:39.519
I have not had one of those yet.

00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:41.360
Looking forward to it though.

00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:46.720
All right, uh, full-time all-wheel drive, nice ride quality.

00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:51.759
It feels heavy, and it is 5,667 pounds.

00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:56.399
So it does feel heavy, but as do most SUV electrics.

00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:59.600
Base trim price,$65,200.

00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:03.120
Price is tested$67,195.

00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:05.600
That's the shipping added into it.

00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:09.200
The base model price for this one,$65,200.

00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:19.360
The L starts at$62,945, which is a couple hundred dollars less than the electric.

00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:23.840
Gasoline version, as I mentioned, has a straight six with 420 horsepower.

00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:26.960
The Grand Wagoneer is more premium version.

00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:36.399
So I'm trying to do all of this research on not just the Wagoneer, but the Grand Wagoneer, along with the electric and the six-cylinder engine.

00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:39.840
It took me a lot of time to try to understand it all.

00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:42.559
Lots of versions, do your homework.

00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:50.960
So, uh, as a part of uh the actual review here, here are some that are competitors to the vehicle.

00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:53.919
The Cadillac Lyric,$58,595.

00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:54.879
That's where it starts.

00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:59.679
The Lexus RZ 450E 52,995.

00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:00.720
I've never driven one.

00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:01.840
I've never done it.

00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:05.600
Genesis Electric G V 70, 66,950.

00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:07.919
So they're all right around$60,000 or so.

00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:16.960
Next week, we're going to review the 1926, the 2026 Infinity QX 60 SUV.

00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:18.159
That was your first car, wasn't it?

00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:19.679
That was the 1920, yeah.

00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:19.919
Thanks.

00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:20.879
You said it's heavy.

00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:24.159
It in about the size of a Tahoe in the beginning of your story.

00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:25.919
Tahoe's look really heavy.

00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:27.440
I mean, that that's a big machine.

00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:28.000
They are.

00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:28.639
They are.

00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:31.440
Uh the Tahoe is based on the truck.

00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:34.240
Uh it is pardon me?

00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:36.320
Truck-based, you know, with frame on frame.

00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:36.879
Yes.

00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:41.120
And I'm wondering if this one is a modified RAM.

00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:43.919
You know, I didn't go that far.

00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:50.159
I spent way too much time worried about making sure that I conveyed the Grand Wagoneer and the Wagoneer.

00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:53.679
Yeah, I really like the way the outside looks on it, though, the lines on it.

00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:56.559
From the side, you're going to go, wow, that's very sharp.

00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:58.720
Hey, if you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an email.

00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:01.440
The address is info at inwheeltime.com.

00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:03.759
We're back after this quick break.

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